Chapter 418

Eleanor arrived with haste, her heart pounding as she stepped out of her car and hurried toward the hospital's entrance, her footsteps echoing with urgency.

Though she believed her feelings for Nolan had long faded, the sight of his forlorn figure at the corridor's end stirred an unexpected pang in her chest.

When Nolan caught sight of her, a flicker of hope illuminated his exhausted gaze.

He rushed forward, his voice rough with emotion as he implored, "Eleanor, please, you must save my grandfather!"

With a resolute nod, Eleanor hastened toward the emergency room, but before she could cross the threshold, the attending doctor intercepted her, his expression clouded with concern.

"Mr. Stewart," he said, turning to Nolan, "I'm unsure where you found this woman, but your grandfather's condition is beyond hope. Let him pass with dignity,peacefuly." The doctor, seasoned by countless encounters with grieving families,had witnessed too many cling to futile efforts, prolonging suffering with no reward.

Hence, he urged Nolan to accept the inevitable.

Yet Nolan's eyes blazed with unyielding resolve."With Eleanor here, my grandfather will live! Step aside,doctor. As his grandson, I demand you let her through!"

His words carried the weight of desperate faith,a final stand against despair.

Caught off guard by Nolan's fervor, the doctor wavered,then reluctantly stepped back, clearing the path.

Eleanor wasted no time. She pushed through the door and entered the sterile glow of the emergency room,where Norwood lay motionless beneath the shadowless lamp, the electrocardiogram teetering on the edge of silence.

A chill gripped Eleanor's heart, but she steadied herself,retrieving her set of acupuncture needles with practiced precision.

Composing her nerves, she began her delicate work,each needle placed with care.

Time stretched endlessly, each second heavy with anticipation. At long last, Eleanor came to a halt.

She withdrew the needles, tucked them neatly away,and hurried out.

Nolan rushed to her side, his voice trembling with fragile hope."Eleanor,how is he?"

Eleanor met his gaze, her voice steady yet gentle."His life is no longer in danger, but he remains in a deep coma. It's uncertain when-or if-he'll awaken.There is a chance he may linger in a vegetative state."

The doctor, overhearing her words, stood dumbfounded. "That is impossible!" he exclaimed,unable to fathom how someone teetering on death's edge could be pulled back.

He hurried into the emergency room, and moments later, his voice rang out in disbelief. "My God! His heartbeat has returned! HHis blood pressure is stable!This... this is nothing short of miraculous!"

Relief washed over Nolan, though it was tempered by lingering uncertainty.

His towering frame swayed, unsteady from the weight of the moment.

Instinctively,Eleanor reached out to support him, her hand steadying his trembling form. Gazing at his ashen face, she softened her tone."Try not to worry too much. Trust me-he will awaken."

In that fragile moment, Nolan's vulnerability lay bare.

Touched by her tender reassurance, Nolan couldn't resist drawing her into a fervent embrace.

Eleanor's body tensed, a reflex urging her to pull away.

Yet, as his muffled sobs reached her ears, her outstretched hands hesitated, suspended in the air.

Nolan, ever poised, refined, and in command, had never appeared so fragile, so utterly undone.

In that moment, Eleanor's resolve softened, and she chose not to push him away.

She stood still, a quiet pillar, allowing him to find solace in her presence.

After what seemed an eternity, Nolan gently let her go.His voice was raw and unsteady as he offered a heartfelt apology. "I'm sorry-I was overwhelmed."

Eleanor offered a subtle nod, then settled onto a nearby bench in the corridor, silently keeping him company.